diff --git a/packages/playwright/src/common/config.ts b/packages/playwright/src/common/config.ts
index 2bf09e31e03c7..7f359ea0553ec 100644
--- a/packages/playwright/src/common/config.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright/src/common/config.ts
@@ -246,8 +246,12 @@ function resolveWorkers(workers: string | number): number {
     const parsedWorkers = parseInt(workers, 10);
     if (isNaN(parsedWorkers))
       throw new Error(`Workers ${workers} must be a number or percentage.`);
+    if (parsedWorkers < 1)
+      throw new Error(`Workers must be a positive number, received ${parsedWorkers}.`);
     return parsedWorkers;
   }
+  if (workers < 1)
+    throw new Error(`Workers must be a positive number, received ${workers}.`);
   return workers;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/playwright-test/config.spec.ts b/tests/playwright-test/config.spec.ts
index 2c6342f00126e..8289a7823eff4 100644
--- a/tests/playwright-test/config.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/playwright-test/config.spec.ts
@@ -552,6 +552,58 @@ test('should throw when workers option is invalid', async ({ runInlineTest }) =>
   expect(result.output).toContain('config.workers must be a number or percentage');
 });
 
+test('should throw when workers is 0 in config', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
+  const result = await runInlineTest({
+    'playwright.config.ts': `
+      module.exports = { workers: 0 };
+    `,
+    'a.test.ts': `
+      import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+      test('pass', async ({}) => {});
+    `,
+  });
+  expect(result.exitCode).toBe(1);
+  expect(result.output).toContain('must be a positive');
+});
+
+test('should throw when workers is negative in config', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
+  const result = await runInlineTest({
+    'playwright.config.ts': `
+      module.exports = { workers: -1 };
+    `,
+    'a.test.ts': `
+      import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+      test('pass', async ({}) => {});
+    `,
+  });
+  expect(result.exitCode).toBe(1);
+  expect(result.output).toContain('must be a positive');
+});
+
+test('should throw when workers is 0 via CLI', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
+  const result = await runInlineTest({
+    'playwright.config.ts': `module.exports = {};`,
+    'a.test.ts': `
+      import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+      test('pass', async ({}) => {});
+    `,
+  }, { workers: 0 });
+  expect(result.exitCode).not.toBe(0);
+  expect(result.output).toContain('must be a positive');
+});
+
+test('should throw when workers is negative via CLI', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
+  const result = await runInlineTest({
+    'playwright.config.ts': `module.exports = {};`,
+    'a.test.ts': `
+      import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+      test('pass', async ({}) => {});
+    `,
+  }, { workers: -1 });
+  expect(result.exitCode).not.toBe(0);
+  expect(result.output).toContain('must be a positive');
+});
+
 test('should work with undefined values and base', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
   const result = await runInlineTest({
     'playwright.config.ts': `